Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Former Canadian Football League Coach of the year heads back to university

Western's football team will have a pair of coaching talents on the sideline this season as the Mustangs announced the signing of alumnus Greg Marshall as offensive coach, joining long-time head coach Larry Haylor. Marshall, a former Hec Crighton winner for the Mustangs and the Canadian Football League (CFL) coach of the year in 2004, will succeed Haylor for the 2007 season. An emotional Haylor thanked his family and friends who stood beside him all these years, and took the time to laud his future successor. "It's been an honour to have been associated with the people of Western football for the last 31 years," says Haylor. "In the transition to a new coach, no person could be better chosen to lead the Mustangs into the future than Greg Marshall. He is unparalleled as a person, a family man, a coach and as a friend." Haylor, the all-time wins leader amongst football coaches in Canadian university history, enters his 22nd season with a career record of 165-40-4 - a winning percentage just shy of 80 per cent (.799%). He led the Mustangs to two Vanier Cup (Canadian national championship) victories in 1989 and 1994 and eight Yates Cup (Ontario championships) wins in 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995 and 1998. Marshall, who is thrilled to be coming back to London and to Western, says he looks forward to be back on the sideline with Haylor, someone he calls a "great friend." "I am very proud to be coming back to The University of Western Ontario and following the tradition of excellence established by my friend and mentor, Larry Haylor," says Marshall. Western's Sports and Recreation Services Director Michael Lysko says Western's football program has a tradition that is unparalleled in Canadian university football. "From John Metras to Frank Cosentino to Darwin Semotiuk to Larry Haylor, no collegiate football program in the country has been maintained with the excellence and continuity of leadership in the head coaching position," says Lysko. "This transition plan allows us to secure a premier coaching talent in Greg Marshall, who has proven himself to be one of the top teachers and recruiters in the country." "This is a momentous day for Western," says Western President Paul Davenport. "We find ourselves in the enviable position of not only having the best coach in the country, but the two best football coaches for the upcoming Mustang season." Marshall played four seasons with the Mustangs from 1978 to 1981, winning the Hec Crighton Award as the top player in Canadian university football in 1980. The Guelph native was also a two-time OUA all-star and two-time All-Canadian selection at running back. Marshall continued his football career with the Edmonton Eskimos, playing for three seasons from 1982 to 1984, earning a Grey Cup ring in 1982. He began his collegiate coaching career with the Mustangs in 1984 under Haylor, serving as offensive coordinator from 1992 to 1996. Following his five-year run as offensive coordinator for the Mustangs, Marshall was hired by McMaster University as their football head coach in 1997. The Marauders won four consecutive Yates Cups from 2000 to 2003 during Marshall's seven-year tenure at McMaster. Marshall compiled an overall record of 42-12-2 (76.8%). Marshall was named head coach of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2003. He was the first Canadian-born head coach in the history of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the first-ever head coach to make the jump directly from the Canadian university football ranks to become a head coach in the Canadian Football League. The first-year head coach led Hamilton to a 9-8-1 record, giving them an amazing eight more victories than they had the previous season. Marshall finished his run with the Tiger-Cats in 2006 with an overall record of 15-25-1.